Convertible handbag



United States Patent CONVERTIBLE HANDBAG Murray M. Resnick, Great Neck, N. Y.

Application December 8, 1955, Serial No. 551,933

1 Claim. (Cl.-15028) .of various shapes and colors, tobe borne in accordance with her dress on any separate occasion. Furthermore, whena woman acquires new apparel, it is considered obligatory to purchase too a new matching or complementary handbag as a necessary accessory. It is, of

course, expensive to maintain a suitable collection of handbags, and their size renders a number thereof spaceconsuming. The transfer of the contents of one handbag to the other is always a bothersome itask. Aproposed solution to the problem, according to the present invention, is the provision of a ladys handbag whose outer appearance may be altered to suit the occasion. Many such type handbags have been proposed and suggested, but have not been favorably received. They have been characterized by the complexity of their construction and manipulation, their limited application and their generally unattractive appearance.

It is thus a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved portable receptacle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved ladies handbag.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved ladies handbag of easily alterable appearance.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved alterable ladies handbag whose appearance may be simply and rapidly changed.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a ladies handbag whose appearance may be simply altered without disturbing the contents thereof.

The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of improved ladies handbag constructed according to and embodying the present invention, illustrated in assembled condition;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the handbag illustrated in the process of being altered in appearance;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken along line 33 in Figure l; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken along line 44 in Figure 2.

In a broad sense, the present invention contemplates the provision of an improved ladies handbag comprising an open-topped receptacle defining a body member, a handle secured to and projecting above said body memher, and a removable flap separably engaging said handle and normally closing the open top of said body member and depending therefrom.

2,784,756 Patented Mar. 12, 1957 Referring now to the drawings which illustrate a preof the improved handbag, and the numeral 12 designates the cover or flap portion thereof. The body portion of the handbag 10 includes a base 14 of rectangular configuration carrying upwardly directed front and rear walls 16 and 18 respectively. Adjacent edges of the front and rearwalls 16 and 18 are connected by flexible accordionshaped gussets '20 which define the side walls of the receptacle 10, and extend from the base 14 to the upper edges of the front and rearwalls 16 and 18. The gussets 20 are formed of a pair. of V-shaped sections having their apexes directed inwardly,.as illustrated, and having the ends of their inner legs 22 joined by stitchingor the like. An intermediate panel 24.is disposed between the front and rearwalls 16 and 18 and has its side edges engaged by and secured to the confronting ends of thegusset legs .22. The upperedge of .the intermediate panel 24 is at outer orfacing materiaLZS which may be leather, plastic,

woven orknitted fabric or any other suitable material, and are lined in the conventional manner with any suitable material which may likewise be of leather, plastic or fabric. The base 14 may be formed of the same material as the walls and gussets of the receptacle and be similarly lined and provided with an intermediate layer of relatively stiff material.

The intermediate panel 24 is formed of a pair of outer layers 26, preferably of the same lining: material as the walls 16 and 18, and an intermediate stiffening layer 28 which may be of cardboard or the like. A pair of strap members 30 are provided, each consisting of a pair of superimposed bands of material, preferably of the type forming the facing material of the walls and gussets of the receptacle, said bands being hemmed and sewn together along their edges. The lower ends of the straps 30 are disposed between the layer 26 forming the panel 24 at points spaced inwardly from the gussets 20. The upper edges of the intermediate panel layers 26 are folded inwardly to form hems, as at 32, and one or more lines of stitching 34 secure the abutting upper edges of the layers 26 and the bottom ends of the straps 30. It should be noted that only the upper portion of the side edges of the intermediate panel 24 is secured between the gusset legs 22 by means of short lines of stitching 36. A change purse 38 is carried on the wall of the intermediate panel 24.

One of the straps 30 carries, adjacent to its upper end, a pair of longitudinally spaced male snap fasteners 40 and the other strap carries a pair of similarly longitudinally spaced cooperating female snap fasteners 42. Thus, the snap fasteners 40 and 42 may be brought into locking engagement to form a handbag handle, as shown in Figure l of the drawings, or may be disengaged, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.

The cover or flap member 12 is of generally rectangular configuration, preferably formed of two plies of highly flexible material 44 and 46 respectively. The outer faces of the plies 44 and 46 are of different appearance which may be defined by different colors or different decorative characteristics. A pair of elongated rectangular openings 52 are formed along the transverse axis of the cover 12, of slightly larger configuration than the transverse crosssection of the straps 30, and are spaced a distance equal to the spacing between the straps 30, so that the cover 12 may be fitted over the receptacle 10 by bringing the openings 52 into registry with the straps 30.

Adjacent the lower edges of the cover 12 there are disposed grommets 48 having rectangular openings 50 formed therein. Cooperating with the grommets 48, when the cover 12 is applied to the receptacle 10, are a pair of locking members or clasps 56 located on the front and rear walls 16 and 18. Each of the locking members 56 includes a rectangular base portion 58 having a transverse cross-section slightly less than the outline of the grommet opening 50, and provided with rearwardly extending upset prongs 60 which engage the corresponding walls 16 and 18. Rotatably carried by the base 58 is a latching element 64 whose maximum transverse crosssection is equal to that of the transverse cross-section of the base 58 and which may be snapped between a vertical or a locking position and a horizontal or open position.

In assembled condition, as illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings, the cover 12 is carried by the handbag, the openings 52 thereof registering with the straps 30, the fasteners 40 and 42 being in engagement to define a handle. The lower ends of the cover 12 are secured to the corresponding faces of the receptacle 10 by means of the interfitting grommets 48 and clasps 56. In the event that access to the interior of the receptacle is desired, one of the clasps 56 is opened permitting the separation of the corresponding end of the flap 12 and the uncovering of the open top of the receptacle 10. Should it be desired to change the appearance of the handbag by reversing the cover 12, the straps 30 forming the handle are separated by disengaging the snap fasteners 40 and 42, as illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawing, and the grommets 48 are separated from the corresponding clasps 56. The cover 12 is then moved upwardly and released from the straps 30, reversed and replaced, the straps 30 being then reconnected to form the handle and the grommets 48 being brought into locking engagement with the clasps 56.

While there has been described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations and omissions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

I claim:

An improved handbag comprising an open-topped receptacle defining a handbag, and including side walls and front and rear walls, a vertically extending panel extending between and carried by the upper portions of said side walls, a pair of laterally spaced band members having their lower ends secured to said panel and their upper ends separably fastened to each other, a cover member having a pair of laterally spacedcpenings formed therein registering with said respective bands and mating separable fasteners carried on said front and rear walls and adjacent portions of said cover member.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 161,362 Nessimotf Dec. 26, 1950 1,562,408 Berkowitz Nov. 17, 1925 1,691,905 Gamble Nov. 13, 1928 2,068,058 Lewis Jan. 19, 1937 2,080,453 Kraut May 18, 1937 2,542,246 Grosz Feb. 20, 1951 2,574,786 Hiatt Nov. 13, 1951 2,707,035 Lashley Apr. 26,1955 2,723,696 Kase .'Nov. 15, 1955 

